Hi FashionPhotograhyBlog.com readers,
Today, we have top fashion model, speaker & author of the book “Supermodel YOU“, Sarah DeAnna, joining us on FPBlog. Sarah shares her story of how she first started out in the modeling industry and the reasons why she is glad that she started her career late after finishing school. Let’s get started shall we? Here is our interview with Sarah DeAnna…

FPBlog: Hi, I’m here with top fashion model, Sarah DeAnna and we’re going to talk about modeling and working with photographers. Sarah is somebody that has worked in the industry for a while, has risen to the top but started out testing. How old were you when you started modeling?
Sarah DeAnna: I didn’t start until I was 19 actually, I went to school. I started later, but I’m so grateful that I did… I don’t know what would have happened if I was younger and more susceptible to those opinions on me. I mean I still was, of course, but it helped being more mature I guess. Having more experience and an education helped me a lot with being healthy and with not taking things to heart.
FPBlog: With a stronger self esteem and not being part of the bigger scandals?
Sarah DeAnna: Yeah, (all of that), so it’s great that Vogue did an issue of mine where they won’t use younger models or unhealthy models. I definitely think that’s why I’ve been successful… I think it’s because of starting later.
FPBlog: And did you start in LA? Or did you start in the small market?
Sarah DeAnna: I started in LA, I went there to go to UCLA. I was going to get my business degree actually and I was so glad that I started modeling because I love it. Modeling is not my passion but I do love modeling but I would have never went to business school nowadays, so I’m really glad. If I would go back I probably would have studied something like bio-chemistry or something nerdy, something tech.
FPBlog: Right. So how was it when you started? You didn’t have any pictures and you started testing?
Sarah DeAnna: Actually, I was found by a photographer at Starbucks. I was approached before but I never really trusted anyone. And there was a photographer at Starbucks, and I was with a guy (at the time), a guy friend of mine, and he (the photographer) keep looking at me and stopping me, and then he came and talked to the guy (my friend). He was like “I have to shoot her” and “I just love her face”.
He was talking to the guy (friend) to make me feel comfortable. He wasn’t trying to hit on me, or something like that, he was totally legit. He sent me right away to a commercial agent; I wasn’t even doing anything in that industry at all. The first agent was like, “oh my God, we’d love to rep you”, and then the next day we ended up shooting. He did everything; he styled the whole thing, did my makeup, he shot it.
He paid for everything, I didn’t have to pay for anything. Then he tricked me, he said “let’s go”, he wanted to show me the proofs because he loved it (the shoot). He was showing me what I looked like and I didn’t know anything, like there were all these (contact) sheets with all these pictures and then he’s like, “oh let’s go pick up the negatives” and he tricked me. We went into an agency, Photogenics, my mother agent, and they signed me right away. The first official shoot that I did, after that, was for Photogenics, for the agency and that became a Cover Girl magazine.
It was just a promo for the agency and that became a cover of this magazine called Picture Magazine, and then, it ran in Zink Magazine as well, then I went to New York, and then to Milan and Paris, but yeah, I didn’t know anything (at the start). I was so insecure still so I just learned.
FPBlog: How do you think you learned? Just by experience and being in front of the camera a lot?
Sarah DeAnna: Definitely experience, but I’m telling you that this first photographer, he was so good. That was my first time and he told me like how to be with your eyes and gave me this thing in my head to think about. So I always channeled that because that was all I knew (at the time). He liked it strong and fierce and so I think that’s why I’m known to be the strong and edgy girl as opposed to the happy, smiley, beachy girl – I’m working on that one.
FPBlog: It’s funny because in person you have that California girl, beachy appearance, but whenever I thought about you, it’s always edgy and crazy hair and fierce looks.
Did you find this interview with Sarah DeAnna interesting? Leave your comments below in the comment section. We would like to know what you thought about the post. If you enjoyed this post, stay tuned as Sarah DeAnna has more insights to share on FashionPhotograhyBlog.com – If you are interested in grabbing a copy of Sarah’s book, “Supermodel YOU” you can find it here.
IMAGE SOURCE:
Feature image & image 1: courtesy of Melissa Rodwell

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